Hey thanks for the pics. I appreciate it. We are getting started tomorrow. I went with tube perimeter as I'll be able to keep that water tight. All 3 of my trailers are tubed so I see no reason not to use tubing if it's available. I think it will be much easier to work with. Crossmembers are "C" and railing will be 2" thinwall tube. I am doing something a little different with the lights. I'll post some pics of the progress. Thanks again for the pics.

BTW. Kampco was too far out on their delivery and we need to get this done in time for the season or I would have went with them.

I think I'm going to stand 4" tube on end on each side at the rear to house the lights and also to mount the latch for each gate. I have a trailer like this and it looks nice. I don't like the lights being mounted to the gates themselves because it seems like just a matter of time until the wiring wears at some point.Posted via Mobile Device

I like what your doing. I'm gonna save this post. I have a w3500 with a 14'bed 4' feet of which is dovetail. I love it. I want to build one for my tundra. I think it would be perfect for my smaller lawns that I have in town. I would double check you're length of the gate. I believe mine is closer to 5' to decrease the incline.

Material came in yesterday afternoon so we decided to get started. It went pretty well with a guy cutting and a guy welding. Got the frame set and the outside dovetail legs tacked in last night. They shorted me one section of crossmember material so I'm missing the forward 2 crossmember, it's coming Monday. Also missing the center support on the dovetail as it's the leftover piece from the crossmember material.
Anyway, got the dovetail pretty much wrapped up minus the center support, and also got the vertical uprights done which will house the lights and lock for the ramps. Front cage is also complete minus the door. I'm extremely surprised how square this thing is. Main bed is about 1/8" out and the rack was dead nuts. We have everything on steel sawhorses which are level. Makes working so much easier when you can use magnetic levels.
The "open" side of the cage towards the passenger's side is left to give room for shovels and rakes which will have a holder welded to the top and middle rail you see. Our leaf loader will also sit in this area during fall cleanup. The rails are 16" and 36" up from the floor which will allow for the inlet tube on the vac to stick straight out. The loader will sit on the floor and the tube will exit the passenger side. The loader will then go up and into our leaf box on the dump which will be mounted forward of the flatbed.
Hope to get the railing done next along with some odds and ends.
Oh, and the gate will probably end up 5'. We have a 15 degree angle on the dovetail which is 4' or 11" of drop. We experimented with a 5' 2x4 and determined it will probably end up 5'.

DISCLOSURE: This is getting done in the warehouse area next to our shop. Our actual shop is in the back which is WAY more organized than shis rathole. No, the washing machine isn't mine.